Closure for containers



A Dec. 11, 1945. A, UMBACH 2,390,889

CLOSURE FOR CONTAINERS Filed Nov. s, 1944 INVENTOR Y.. I 4 ATTORNEY Patented Dec. ll, 1945 "UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CLOSURE FOR CONTAINERS Alex Limbach, Carmel, N. Y. Application November 3, 1944, Serial N0. 561,687 4 claims. (c1. 22o-41) This invention relates to closures for containers and more especially te a closure for an atomizer of the type disclosed in applicants co-pending application, Serial No. 510,573.

An object of this invention is a simple, ecient and inexpensive closure which provides a tight seal for the discharge opening of an atomizer or container,

ln the atomizer disclosed in said application, Serial No. 510,573, an annular band completes the assembly of the component parts and is provided with an outwardly offset portion having an opening through which the atomized liquid is discharged. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the band is equipped with a slider which carries a strip of sealing material such, for example, as rubber. The. structure of the slider is such that during movement of the slider to and from sealing position, the sealing material is maintained out of contact withvthe b-and but in sealing position the sealing material engages the band around the discharge opening to form a tight seal. With this arrangement, movement of the slider into and out-of sealing position is not impeded by the drag which would be present with a structure having the sealing strip at all times in engagement with the band.

Other objects, novel features and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following specification and accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation partially Vbroken away with the slider in sealing position;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig, 1;

out portions 23 at one end forming a tongue 24 and a strip 25 of sealing material such, for example, as rubber is arranged on the inner surface the slider over its entire length. The strip 25 is held in Vplace on the slider by end tabs 26 and 21 turned inwardly over the ends of the strip, the tab 26 being an extension of the tongue 24 and the tab 21 being an extension of the opposite end of the slider. The tab 25 is turned inwardly over the end of the strip 25 in such a manner as to embed its edge in the strip and present a curved surface contacting the' band i 2 and sloping down to the strip surface'while Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig. 3 with the slider i in open position, and

Fig. 5 is an underface plan view of the slider.

For illustrative purposes, this invention is disclosed as applied tol an atomizer of the type illustrated in applcants 4cci-pending application, Serial No. 510,573. The atomizer structure consists in general of a bulb II together with component parts which are attached by means of a band I2 to the neck I3 of a container I4. The band I2 is shaped to provide annular re-entrant shoulders I5 and IB and has a substantially rectangular offset portion I1 containing an opening 4B in alinement with the atomizer discharge aperture I9.

A thin metal slider 20 is provided with convergent top and bottom anges 2I and 22 engaging the shoulders I5 and I6 to mount the slider on the band I2 for to and fro movement along the band. The slider 20 has two longitudinal cutthe tab 21 is turned inwardly in such al manner as to provide a at surface contactingv the band i2 and to have its edge forming a'shoulder or abutment extending beyondthe inner surface "of the sealing strip. The line of -contact of the curved surface of the tab 26 with the band I2 is slightly more distant from the inner surface of the sealing strip than is the flat surface of contact of the tab 21 with said band. The flanges 2I and 22 retain the slider with the tabs 26 and 21 always in engagement with the band I2 for to and fro movement of the slider on the band and also prevent both tilting of the slider or movement thereof as a whole radially of the band during reciprocation of the slider along the band. The tongue is suficiently resilient to permit movement of the free end thereof radially of the band I2.

The oifset portion I1 is formed with a relatively steep shoulder 28 and a sloping shoulder 29 and is offset to a greater extent at the end adjacent the shoulder 29 than at the end adjacent the shoulder 28. The extent of the offset near the shoulder 28 is just slightly more than or approximates the height of the abutment formed by the inner edge of the tab 21 while the extent of the offset adjacent the shoulder -29 is slightly more than or approximates the distance from the inner surface of the strip 25 to the line of contact between the curved surface of the tab 26 and the band I2.

When the slider is in its sealing position as shown in Fig. 3, the sloping face of the tab 26 is adjacent to or engages the shoulder 29 while the inner edge of the tab 21 engages the shoulder 28. The strip 25 overlies the ppening I8 and is under sufficient compression to seal said opening. Upon movement of the slider 20 from its closed position toward its open position the tab 26 rides up the shoulder 29 to lift the free end of the tongue 24 and raise the strip 25 out of contact with the surface of the offset portion I1 of the band I2, with the remainder of the slider retaining its position with respect to the band I2 except that it has moved along the surface thereof. After suflicient movement of the slider 20, the tab 26 reaches the shoulder 28 and then moves inwardly into contact with the band I2 as shown in Fig. 4 in which position of the slider the opening I8 is fully uncovered. Upon movement of the slider 20 from its open position to its closed position, theL operation above described is reversed with. the tab 26 first engaging and riding upr the shoulder 28 and then sliding along the surface of the offset portion I'I until it rides down the shoulder 29 into the position shown in Fig. 3 and the end of the tab 2-1 engages the shoulder to limit movement of the slider 2li.

Due to the fact that the tabs 26` and 2l are turned inwardly over the ends ofthe sealing strip 275, the tabs ride on the band I2 and offset portion I1 to maintain the sealing strip 25 out of contact with. the band except when the slider is in the position shown in Fig. 3, thereby facilitating movement of the slider into` and out of sealing position by reason of metal-to-metal contact rather than rubber-to-metal contact,` the latter producing considerably more friction than the former. 'I'he sealing material comes into` contact with the outer face of the offset portion I'I only after the tab 26 rides down the shoulder 29 off the offset portion I'I.

While this closure has been shown in connection with an atomizer, it is to be understood that it may be adapted to any container having a similar curved band or portion thereof. Also, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in the structure above described without in any Way departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims. f

Iclaim:

1. A device of the character described comprising an annular band having re-entrant shoulders and an offset portion containing an aperture, a slider having converging anges engaging said shoulders to mount said slider on said band for to and fro movement, a pair of cuts at one end of said slider forming a resilient tongue, a strip of sealing material arranged on the inner .surface of the slider over its entire length, a tab at the end of said tongue and a. tab at the opposite end of said slider extending inwardly over the ends and around the inner corners of said strip to attach it to said slider, said tabs engaging said band and serving to maintain said strip out of contact with said band except when said strip overlies said offset portion.

2. A device according to claim 1 characterized by the tab at the end of said tongue being curved to form a cam surface for engagement with the onset portion of the shoulders to Hex said tongue outwardly.

3. A device according to claim 1 characterized by th'e tab at the end of said slider opposite said tongue constituting a shoulder for engagement with a shoulder of the offset portion to limit movement of the slider in one direction.

4. A device according to claim 1 characterized by the tab at the end of said tongue being curved to form a cam surface for engagement with the offset portion of the shoulders to flex said tongue outwardly, and th'e tab at the end of said slider opposite said tongue constituting a shoulder for engagement with a shoulder of the offset portion to limit movement of the slider in one direction.

ALEX LIMBACH. 

